Queen Wilhelmina State Park facts for kids
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Queen Wilhelmina State Park is a special place in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. It's managed by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. This park is famous for its lodge, often called the "Castle in the Sky," which sits high up on Rich Mountain.
Rich Mountain is Arkansas's second-highest peak, reaching 2,681 feet (about 817 meters) into the sky. The park is located in Polk County, Arkansas, near Mena, Arkansas, and close to the Oklahoma border. You can find it along the scenic Talimena Scenic Drive. It's also the only lodge you'll find open on the long 235-mile Ouachita Trail, which is great for hikers!
The lodge at Queen Wilhelmina State Park has 38 rooms for guests, a restaurant, a lobby, and a meeting room. Even when the lodge is being updated, the park's campgrounds and trails stay open for visitors to enjoy. It's one of eight mountain parks in Arkansas, offering amazing views and outdoor adventures.
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The History of Queen Wilhelmina State Park
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Why Was the First Lodge Built?
The very first "Castle in the Sky" lodge was built way back in 1898. It was created by the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad. They wanted a nice place for their train passengers to stay. Many people who invested in this railroad were from the Netherlands. So, they decided to name the lodge after Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. She was going to be crowned queen in September 1898.
When Did the First Lodge Open?
The grand opening of this beautiful Victorian-style lodge was on June 22, 1898. People quickly started calling it the "Castle in the Sky" because of its high location and grand look.
What Happened to the Original Inn?
Sadly, the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad had money problems. It was eventually sold to another company, which later became the Kansas City Southern Railway. The original Wilhelmina Inn started to fall apart and finally closed its doors in 1910.
How Was the State Park Created?
After World War II, more people became interested in traveling and visiting parks. Because of this, a special law called State Act 76 was passed in 1957. This law officially created Queen Wilhelmina State Park, making it a protected area for everyone to enjoy.
The Lodges That Followed
A brand new lodge was built on the same spot and opened on June 22, 1963. It even used some of the original stone work from the first lodge. This second lodge was open for about 10 years. However, on November 10, 1973, a fire started in the kitchen and sadly destroyed the entire lodge.
Soon after, construction began on the third lodge for the park. This new lodge cost about $3 million to build and reopened in 1975. More recently, the lodge was updated and refurbished, reopening its doors in 2015, ready to welcome new visitors to the "Castle in the Sky."
